Soilwork: North American Infinity Tour 2013 Review

Hatchet kicked off the show last night with an amazing set! The 2006 Bay Area based band really knew how to rock the Whisky a Go Go and got the crowd pumped up. Promoting their latest album, The Dawn of the End, Hatchet mixed new songs with old favorites! Be sure to check out their Facebook Page and Click here to purchase their new album.

Bonded by Blood was next up and they rocked hard too. The Thrash Metal band from Pamona didn't pull any punches when it came to showing off their unique technical skills.

Blackguard played next and actually brought some of the ceiling down with their thrashing. Look for the Montreal outfit's latest album called Storm out this fall.

Jeff Loomis, guitarist of Nevermore, finally has made his solo debut with his instrumental classical progressive metal album titled Plains of Oblivion. I thought he had an amazing talent, but the instrumental aspect I thought brought a bit of a lull in the energy that the previous bands had worked so hard to bring out in the audience.

Finally Soilwork hit the stage and opened with This Momentary Bliss from their new double album The Living Infinite. They played several songs from the new album including Tongue, Spectrum of Eternity, Long Live the Misanthrope, Parasite Blues, and Rise Above the Sentiment. They also played many of their old favorites, which made the crowd go wild! Let this River Flow, Weapon on Vanity, Nerve, Stabbing the Drama, Figure Number Five, Black Star Deceiver, Final Fatal Force, and Possessing the Angels were just some of the amazing songs they played!

If you get a chance, definitely check out Soilwork and the other bands on the North American Infinity Tour! Check out the dates here and buy Soilwork's The Living Infinite here.

Soilwork's North American Infinity Tour is a 9 out of 10 Soilworkers!

RAWR(for more)

Trivium - In Waves Album Review

Three years after the release of their phenomenal album Shogun and with Nick Augusto replacing Travis Smith on drums, Trivium has released In Waves.

The Florida-based metal band's new release definitely comes In Waves of musical styling. It seems like a bridging album between the band's 2006 album The Crusade and their 2008 release Shogun. Both of these albums have different great sounds, both which come through on this album. Once again producer Colin Richardson (The Crusade and Shogun) mixed and produced the album.

My three favorite songs on the album share a similar sound to that of the Shogun album. The title track "In Waves" is the second song on the album (after a 1 minute 30 second intro track). It is a great song really capturing the overall sound of the album and it is the first single. "Inception of the End" follows this song and has just an amazing sound which seems like it could have been a bonus track on Shogun. "Watch the World Burn" is the perfect blend between The Crusade and Shogun. This is probably my favorite song on the album. The theme of watching the world basically destroy itself, which has been the theme of many albums this year (Rise Against's Endgame and Funeral for a Friend's Welcome Home Armageddon).

Overall, "In Waves" flows very nicely and seamlessly from track to track blending their previous albums The Crusade and Shogun perfectly to create a unique yet familiar sound.

I give Trivium's "In Waves" an 8 out of 10 Waves!

RAWR(for more)

Interview with I Am Abomination

I recently was fortunate enough to interview the metal band I Am Abomination. Check it out and look for my review of their forthcoming EP "Passion of the Heist."

1. How was recording the new EP? Did anything odd/ interesting happen during the recording?

This album was ridiculously fun to record. It was a really low pressure setting, and for the first time in our careers, we recorded without an outside opinion. Nick jumped a ramp on a mini bike for the first time in his life.

2. How has going from a full band down to two members hindered/ helped the band, besides the obvious?

In all honesty, it's helped us tremendously. Most would look at it from a negative standpoint, but we really needed this. Sometimes, when things aren't working, it's best to regroup, and start new. We've grown as artists, and made this album an extension of the talent displayed on To Our Forefathers.

3. Can you give me a hint as to who the studio drummer is?

I wish I could! Just know that he is amazingly talented, and has drummed for some very awesome bands!

4. How has it been rebuilding the physical line up of the band? To be frank, it's challenging. Not in the musical aspect, as Nick and I were the only members to perfrom on To Our Forefathers. But trying to convince kids that you're still a band while only having two members is very difficult. It's hard to explain to them that when they're listening to you last album, they're only hearing two members as it is.

5. Do you expect to go on tour within the next year? If so is anyone special drumming on tour or any other special people helping out on the tour?

Yes! And I can't wait for it! Plans are in talks right now and we'll be sure to keep you guys informed as information becomes more concrete!

6. I know you have a song, “Rock N No Soul” featuring David Stephens from We Came as Romans, what is your relationship to We Came As Romans and is there any chance we might see an I Am Abomination/ We Came As Romans tour?

Those guys are friends of our. When we released our very first EP, we asked them to play, and since then Nick has worked on two of their albums, so when we decided to add screaming to that song, we asked him to do it.

7. Is “The Passion of the Heist” a concept EP that tells a story or is does it center around a certain theme similar to your first album? How did you come up with this concept and what made you decide to dedicate a whole EP to it?

Yes, it is. It's roughly tied to the concept of the last song on To Our Forefathers. And extension, rather. We've always wanted to write a concept album, and decided to go for it on this one.

8. In April, I heard you guys were thinking of making two new albums, I’m guessing one is “The Passion of the Heist” can you give me any details on the second? Will it be a full length album or another EP? Is it going to be another concept album? Will it be a standalone concept or will it be a continuation of the themes presented in “The Passion of the Heist?”

Yes, the second new album will be a full length. It will be somewhat of a concept album, but more loosely tied together.

RAWR(for more)